Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?

Introduction: Benign lymph node enlargement (BLNE) is common in colorectal cancer; however, few studies have investigated its influence on prognosis, clinicopathological features, and pathogenesis. Methods: A cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of color...

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Main Authors: Wang Junwei, Chen Xin, Guo Limei, Li Fei, Lu Siyi, Ma Yao, Hsinyi Lin, Shi Xiangchao, Fu Wei, Zhou Xin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Translational Oncology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936523325000993
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author Wang Junwei
Chen Xin
Guo Limei
Li Fei
Lu Siyi
Ma Yao
Hsinyi Lin
Shi Xiangchao
Fu Wei
Zhou Xin
author_facet Wang Junwei
Chen Xin
Guo Limei
Li Fei
Lu Siyi
Ma Yao
Hsinyi Lin
Shi Xiangchao
Fu Wei
Zhou Xin
author_sort Wang Junwei
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Benign lymph node enlargement (BLNE) is common in colorectal cancer; however, few studies have investigated its influence on prognosis, clinicopathological features, and pathogenesis. Methods: A cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of colorectal cancer patients, categorized based on the presence or absence of BLNE. Given the correlation between lymph nodes and immune response, immunohistochemistry, transcriptome analysis, and exon sequencing were employed to further investigate the differences in the immune microenvironment of primary tumors. Results: Overall, 630 AJCC stage I/II patients were included in the study, with 131 in the BLNE group and 499 in the Non-BLNE (NBLNE) group. Patients in the BLNE group were found to have a significantly better disease-free survival (DFS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.44, P = 0.016) and overall survival (OS) (HR 0.46, P = 0.011) than those in the NBLNE group. Pathologically, compared with the NBLNE group, the BLNE group had more mature tertiary lymphoid structures (66.7 % vs. 36.5 %, P = 0.002) and higher immunoscores (18.8 % vs. 2.1 %, P = 0.004) in primary tumor tissue. Also, transcriptome analysis showed that, compared with NBLNE, the genes upregulated in BLNE were enriched in immune-related pathways, such as adaptive immune response and immuno-regulatory interactions. Whole-exon sequencing analysis revealed a higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) in the BLNE group [6.03 (5.59, 7.59) vs. 5.33 (4.62, 6.34), P = 0.025]. Conclusion: BLNE is positively associated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer, possibly because patients with BLNE have a stronger anti-tumor immune response.
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spelling doaj-art-292d57a308dc4e849e8ea122b1e725b92025-08-20T02:15:58ZengElsevierTranslational Oncology1936-52332025-06-015610236810.1016/j.tranon.2025.102368Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?Wang Junwei0Chen Xin1Guo Limei2Li Fei3Lu Siyi4Ma Yao5Hsinyi Lin6Shi Xiangchao7Fu Wei8Zhou Xin9Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation in Gastrointestinal Oncology, PR ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR ChinaDepartment of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Third Hospital, PR ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR China; Corresponding authors at: Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China.Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR China; Corresponding authors at: Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China.Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China; Peking university third hospital cancer center, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation in Gastrointestinal Oncology, PR China; Corresponding authors at: Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, PR China.Introduction: Benign lymph node enlargement (BLNE) is common in colorectal cancer; however, few studies have investigated its influence on prognosis, clinicopathological features, and pathogenesis. Methods: A cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of colorectal cancer patients, categorized based on the presence or absence of BLNE. Given the correlation between lymph nodes and immune response, immunohistochemistry, transcriptome analysis, and exon sequencing were employed to further investigate the differences in the immune microenvironment of primary tumors. Results: Overall, 630 AJCC stage I/II patients were included in the study, with 131 in the BLNE group and 499 in the Non-BLNE (NBLNE) group. Patients in the BLNE group were found to have a significantly better disease-free survival (DFS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.44, P = 0.016) and overall survival (OS) (HR 0.46, P = 0.011) than those in the NBLNE group. Pathologically, compared with the NBLNE group, the BLNE group had more mature tertiary lymphoid structures (66.7 % vs. 36.5 %, P = 0.002) and higher immunoscores (18.8 % vs. 2.1 %, P = 0.004) in primary tumor tissue. Also, transcriptome analysis showed that, compared with NBLNE, the genes upregulated in BLNE were enriched in immune-related pathways, such as adaptive immune response and immuno-regulatory interactions. Whole-exon sequencing analysis revealed a higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) in the BLNE group [6.03 (5.59, 7.59) vs. 5.33 (4.62, 6.34), P = 0.025]. Conclusion: BLNE is positively associated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer, possibly because patients with BLNE have a stronger anti-tumor immune response.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936523325000993Colorectal cancerPrognosisTumor immune microenvironmentBenign lymph node enlargement
spellingShingle Wang Junwei
Chen Xin
Guo Limei
Li Fei
Lu Siyi
Ma Yao
Hsinyi Lin
Shi Xiangchao
Fu Wei
Zhou Xin
Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?
Translational Oncology
Colorectal cancer
Prognosis
Tumor immune microenvironment
Benign lymph node enlargement
title Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?
title_full Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?
title_fullStr Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?
title_full_unstemmed Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?
title_short Mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer: Friend or foe?
title_sort mesenteric benign lymph node enlargement in colorectal cancer friend or foe
topic Colorectal cancer
Prognosis
Tumor immune microenvironment
Benign lymph node enlargement
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936523325000993
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